Parts Of The Messiah
1 Corinthians 6:15 CJB: Don’t you realize that your bodies are parts of the Messiah? So am I to take parts of the Messiah and make them parts of a prostitute? Heaven Forbid!
Did I mention to you that I got myself a Jewish Study Bible and truth be told it has opened my eyes to the Bible in a whole different dimension. There’s something about reading the Bible from its source, written by the people who it was originally meant for, before it traveled across seas to reach us here. I am enjoying my bible studies and like a hungry archaeologist, I keep making so many finds that are blessing my understanding of scripture and the mind of God.
In this verse, Paul cautions the people of Corinth about sexual immorality. To bring it home, Paul gives a perfect analogy of our connection to Jesus Christ, who now dwells in us since we have become saved and are now part of His body. Since we are spirit beings manifesting in a flesh, if the Spirit of God is in us, then He manifests through our flesh(body) as well. That said, we cannot compromise the body(flesh) which is hosting the Spirit of God. The bible declares the holiness of God, His spirit then cannot dwell in a broken body or sinful body. Holiness is an unbendable requirement to be able to walk with God and walk in His power and presence. Once you come to this realization, you are moved to cherish your body and keep it holy for the Lord. Every time we engage our bodies in anything we do, we have to be aware that we are engaging parts of the Messiah’s body. That’s enough reminder to engage our bodies in the right things that will not dispel the Spirit of God.
I pray that this week, you will make a conscious effort to purge anything in your body that makes it impossible for the Holy Spirit to manifest in you.
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
7+ Billion Graves
This past week has been one of death news around me - a few friends experienced losses. Can I tell you that until about a year ago, I didn’t not want to hear or have to process anything about death? I consciously locked any part of me that will even open myself to think of it. Deep inside of me I immortalized everyone - especially my friends and family. It was the reason why I took any death news so hard. I’d attend funerals of people that I happened to be in the same church community or societal organizations with and I would weep my heart and soul out. My tears will run so hard I can’t stop it because it’s coming from a deep part of me. That really hasn’t changed much as I still feel the pain of a loss when I hear it.
What changed for me was when God gave me a revelation to see and understand the death process. It was a journey that took months to renew my thinking pattern and transform my heart towards this “end of life” journey. The Holy Spirit nurtured me through what an eternal life looks like. Truthfully, that understanding added more burden because now every time I hear the news of death my first worry and question was if the person was saved and had accepted Christ as his Lord and personal savior. I then start to pray hoping that even if they did not have a relationship with God, that in their last moment and final breadth, they gave their lives to God. I selfishly want to see everyone in eternity, cuddling around the Throne of God.
Just this past weekend, I attended the funeral of a friend’s husband. I really was poised to hold my tears back but hugging the widow and feeling her trembling was more than I could bear. I was so moved to see hundreds of people present to support and pay their final respects. The hall was packed and people had to stand all the way in the foyer and even outside. At the end of the service, his soccer team surrounded the casket and played his favorite song as they wheeled it back to the hearse. It was a Francophone song with a beautiful rhythm to it and immediately the song came on, so many people started to do a similar dance. It was just beautiful but moved us to tears at the same time. My friend explained that the song was the deceased man’s favorite and he always did the dance with it every time you would meet him. I could see the waving of goodbyes through the tears and as I scanned around the room, a voice in my head said “7+ billion graves are waiting”. I looked at my best friend who was there with me and I said to her, “look at all these beautiful people here, each one of us will go through this experience some day. Each one of us will be in that casket some day.” The reality hit her as well and she confirmed the voice in my head. She said “to think that all people in this world will go though this is unfathomable but inevitable.” This can only humble you as a person. That a day will come when we will become fully spirit with no flesh and blood.
The preacher said something powerful at this service, that the dash (-) between the year of birth and the end of life is rather short. So I ask, if 7+ billion graves are waiting, what do you plan to do with your dash?
XOXO,
Lady Abena
Declarations For July 2021
Please pray with me….
Blessed be your name our Most High God and Father. We thank You for bringing us to the Seventh month of this unique year - 2021. We are forever indebted to You for Your mighty hand upon our lives and families. Abba Father, we bless You for preserving our lives thus far and providing for us in so many ways that we could not even fathom.
WE DECLARE THAT July being the 7th month and ‘7’ being the number of completion, everything you have started in our lives will be brought to completion this month, O Lord our Father.
- You will arise and have mercy on us for the time to favor us is now.
- We are sure of this, that You who began a good work in our lives will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ.
- The testing of our faith through all the trials and temptations that have befallen us have produced steadfastness in our faith.
- Our steadfastness has had its full effect thus we will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
- Our Lord and Father, You will fulfill Your purpose for us by Your steadfast love, which endures forever. You will not forsake the work of Your hands.
- With You, O Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day in your sight.
- When the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
- You are strengthening and empowering us to pursue, overtake and recover everything that we have lost.
- You are sending ministering angels to every area of our lives.
- You are mounting us up on wings like eagles to soar over and above our current situations.
- Our lives will speak of Your glory in this season of our restoration and completion.
- Just like Nehemiah, the completion of Your works in our lives will make all the people and nations around us afraid and feel greatly in their own esteem, for they will perceive that this work has been accomplished with the help of our God.
We declare that it is so and so it is in the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray! AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.